Detachable supporting means



June 28, 1966 J. A. BEIMAN DETACHABLE SUPPORTING MEANS Filed May 18, 1965 -MAGNET|C FERRO ROBERTL. KAHN United States Patent 3,258,237 DETACHABLE SUPPORTING MEANS Jack A. Beiman, Board of Trade Bldg, Indianapolis, Ind.

Filed May 18, 1965, Ser. No. 456,786 7 Claims. (Cl. 248-225) This invention relates to detachable supporting means useful for various small articles but having particular utility with articles consisting in part or in whole of ferromagnetic material. A detachable supporting means embodying the present invention may include as a part thereof any one of a number of means for detachably supporting the supporting means on a wall or the like. Thus, as examples, the detachable supporting means embodying the present invention may be adapted for support from a conventional pin-up board or apertured-board having a plurality of regularly spaced apertures. Another example of a means for supporting the new device from a wall or the like is a conventional rubber suction cup.

The detachable supporting means embodying the present invention includes as a part thereof a ferromagnetic hanger having at one end the hereinbefore described means for attachment to a wall and having at the other end thereof rigidly attached thereto a permanent magnet of suitable shape. Insofar as items to be supported from the new support means may be ferro-magnetic in whole or in part, it will be found that a device embodying the present invention permits the permanent magnet and ferro-magnetic hanger part to co operate with such supported items for not only providing firm support but also for completing the magnetic circuit of the permanent magnet.

The invention will now be fully disclosed in connection with the drawings wherein,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a peg board which will support three detachable support means embodying the present invention with some ferr c-magnetic items being supported thereon.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one of the hangers embodying the present invention as illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional detail on line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a detail on line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective detail of a modification utilizing a suction cup for supporting the hanger on the wall.

Referring first to FIGURES 1 to 4 inclusive, peg board has a plurality of regularly spaced apertures 11 therethrough. Board 10 is generally made of fiber board having a thickness of the order of about A.. This board is widely used in home workshops and is illustrated here as being supported from wooden rod 14 by bolts 15.

A hanger for use with peg board 16 consists of straight portion 17 one end of which is shaped to provide offset portion 18. Hanger 17 is of ferro magnetic material and usually consists of round wire having a diameter of about A5". The shape and dimensions of offset 18 are such that the hanger may be threaded into aperture 11 on board 10 for support in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1. Inasmuch as hanger portions 17 and 18 and apertured board 10 are in common use, no detailed description additional to that given above is necessary. The amount of offset cooperates with the board thickness for retention of the hanger.

Hanger 17 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 inclusive has its other end formed as an eye or loop 21. Eye 21 is carried by straight hanger portion 22 which is formed by bending hanger body 17 in such a manner than when the hanger is supported in an aperture 11 on peg board 10, eye 21 will be spaced away from apertured board 10.

Firmly attached to eye 21 is permanent magnet 25 having pole faces 26 and 27 on opposite sides thereof.

Permanent magnet 25 is here illustrated as having a generally flat rectangular shape. The dimensions of permanent magnet 25 may have any desired value and a convenient size for an average workshop is 1" x 4" x These dimensions, however, are given merely by way of example and it is understood that the actual dimensions may vary. The permanent magnet materials may be any one of a number of materials such as, for example, Alnico V or may be one of the ceramic materials which are readily available. Permanent magnet 25 can be attached to hanger eye 21 by cement or by solder or by winding a thin strip of adhesive tape about the magnet and eye 21.

It is also possible to have magnet 21 provided with aperture 30 between the pole faces 26 and 27 and utilize a non-magnetic attaching means such as a rivet or wire of brass, copper and the like.

Whether permanent magnet 25 is above or below eye 21 of the hanger is not important. If magnet 25 has generally smooth pole faces 26 and 27, it will generally be desirable to have magnet 25 lie on top of eye 21 in the normal mounted position of hanger 17. This will provide a smooth support for an item that is to be supported. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 1, small strip 32 is supported on top face 26 of the permanent magnet. If item 32 is of ferro-magnetic material, it is evident that it may extend from magnet face 26 to portion 17 of the hanger and provide a generally closed magnetic circuit. This will not only tend to preserve the strength of the magnet but will provide a strong holding force.

FIG. 1 also shows shears 33 supported in a generally similar manner. Knife 34 has steel blade 35 supported as illustrated from one of the hangers embodying the present invention.

It is clear that a support embodying the present invention will have utility with items which are not ferromagnetic. It is not essential that permanent magnet 25 have pole faces 26 and 27 smooth or parallel.

Referring now to FIG. 5, a modification is illustrated wherein portion 22 of the hanger carries suction cup 38 for attachment to a smooth wall surface. Cup 38 is of flexible rubber and will have ferro-magnetic portion 22 molded or cemented therein as illustrated in FIG. 5. Inasmuch as suction cups for supporting hangers are well known and widely used, further description thereof is unnecessary.

What is claimed is:

1. Means for detachably supporting items, said means comprising a ferro-magnetic wire hanger portion stitf enough to hold the weight of items being supported, means at one end of said ferro-magnetic wire hanger portion for detachable attachment to fixed support, a permanent magnet secured to said wire hanger portion at the other end thereof, said permanent magnet being adapted to retain a ferro-magnetic article which in many instances may extend beyond such magnet, and complete a magnetic circuit through the wire portion.

2. The construction according to claim 1 wherein said ferro-magnetic wire hanger portion has an eye disposed in intimate relation with one pole face of a block shaped permanent magnet, said permanent magnet having another pole faces spaced from said first named pole face and available for supporting an item.

3. The construction according to claim 2 wherein said ferro-magnetic wire hanger portion has an end portion thereof laterally offset to provide a mounting for an apertured board.

4. A construction for detachably supporting various items, said construction comprising a ferro-magnetic wire hanger portion having an end shaped to provide an eye, a flat permanent magnet block having a pole face on opposite sides thereof, means for securing said eye to one pole face of said permanent magnet block, said ferro-magnetic wire hanger portion being strong enough to withstand the weight of items supported on said hanger and being long enough so that an item disposed against the other pole face of said permanent magnet can contact a portion of said ferro-magnetic wire hanger and means for supporting the other end of said ferro-magnetic portion from a Wall or the like.

5. The construction according to claim 4- wherein said last named means includes a laterally offset portion for cooperation with apertures in a peg board.

6. The construction according to claim 4 wherein said last named means includes a suction cup.

7. The construction according to claim 4 wherein said permanent magnet has an aperture extending from one pole face through to the other pole face and wherein said permanent magnet aperture and eye of the support 5 hanger are in registration.

References Cited by the Examiner CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. 

1. MEANS FOR DETACHABLY SUPPORTING ITEMS, SAID MEANS COMPRISING A FERRO-MAGNETIC WIRE HANGER PORTION STIFF ENOUGH TO HOLD THE WEIGHT OF ITEMS BEING SUPPORTED, MEANS AT ONE END OF SAID FERRO-MAGNETIC WIRE HANGER PORTION OF DETACHABLE ATTACHMENT TO FIXED SUPPORT, A PERMANENT MAGNET SECURED TO SAID WIRE HANGER PORTION AT THE OTHER END THEREOF, SAID PERMANENT MAGNET BEING ADAPTED TO RETAIN A FERRO-MAGNETIC ARTICLE WHICH IN MANY INSTANCES MAY EXTEND BEYOND SUCH MAGNET, AND COMPLETE A MAGNETIC CIRCUIT THROUGH THE WIRE PORTION. 